1
as in preferably
by choice or preference
I would rather go to the movies than stay at home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in instead
as a substitute
don't think of the placement test as torture but rather as a chance to show off how much you know
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in pretty
to some degree or extent
I say, don't you think that's rather expensive for a hamburger?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rather
Blashill isn’t looking at the mistakes but rather the growth from both.
—
Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Her buyer Michael—the only member she's met, or rather the only member she's met for certain—always comes to her.
—Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
If anything, Alcock seems rather Zen and non-reactive about this.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
Robert Patrick prefers not to participate in Hollywood events and rather enjoys spending time with his wife, dogs and attending church.
—Janelle Ash , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rather
Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Her buyer Michael—the only member she's met, or rather the only member she's met for certain—always comes to her.
—Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
If anything, Alcock seems rather Zen and non-reactive about this.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
Robert Patrick prefers not to participate in Hollywood events and rather enjoys spending time with his wife, dogs and attending church.
—Janelle Ash , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rather
Adverb
-
Things to do before the launch Find a location from which to conduct your observation, preferably somewhere with a higher elevation or a clear horizon.—
Harry Bennett,
Space.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
For more than a year, the owners of other major league teams have telegraphed their desire to restrain all that spending, preferably through a salary cap.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Ndiaye also declined to clear the ball, instead trying to thread a pass to retreating teammate Jake Dengler inside the 18-yard box.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The Kings came into the game stressing a good start, having been outscored 5-1 in the first period of their previous three outings, and instead face planted to spot the Maple Leafs a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Better yet, visit at the end of September for the Feile Tilting, a celebration of the Titling community’s irish heritage that culminates in what is rumored to be a pretty raucous shed crawl.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The first half was pretty even, but the Colleyville Heritage (16-4-2) did put a little more pressure on, despite going into a steady 15-20 mile-per-hour wind.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Officers said the girl and her mother willingly got into the man's car.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In the closing seconds, McEnelly willingly took a pair of stall calls to avoid any further attacks, prevailing 4-3 and snapping Welsh’s 40-match win streak.—
Twin Cities,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Even the more politically active class of nonprofits — 501(c)(4) groups, like the relatively new American Hunters and Anglers — can’t make political activity its primary activity.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
3 Apr. 2026
-
That’s because baked into Bournemouth’s valuation is an assumption that the relatively small club isn’t going to be in the Premier League for the long haul.—
Andrés Martinez,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The dots soon became acrid splotches of oil.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
No restaurant does classic Roman quite like Piatto Romano, a cluttered trattoria smack dab in the middle of Testaccio.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
At the start of the year, Jacob Elordi sat on the Jimmy Kimmel sofa to promote Wuthering Heights, wearing a pair of off-white Bottega Veneta loafers that were not quite ballet flats, but ascribed to this hybrid style (though many users compared them to ballet flats online).—
Jack Stanley,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
There are billions of galaxies in the universe and each has billions of stars, so the likelihood life developed elsewhere is fairly high, according to University of Michigan Astronomy Professor Edwin Bergin, who teaches about looking for life elsewhere.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Saturday is the better day to get outside, as the chance for rain is fairly low.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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